A Form of Vengeance
by TrappedInWonderland
Summary: A take on what could have been a plausible ending for ME3. Oneshot. MShep and Tali. Co-Imagined with Zakmarl of Rexxar.


**So it's been a while...a very long while since I have published anything on this site. But hey, why not start with my very own fixing of the ME3 ending that totally sucked and made me want to cry a little? Well I hope I can do the series a little justice while working with what they gave me!**

* * *

Shepard held himself as tall as he could in his current condition, it was terribly uncomfortable with his wounds, but he would handle this with his pride intact. It seemed like that was all he had left. So he kept his head high as he contemplated his three choices. After everything he had been through, he only had three choices. He gazed around the Crucible's platform, trying to make the decision that would change everyone's lives.

The projection of the child watched him closely, cataloging his every move. Waiting for him to make a choice. He was tempted, so severely tempted, to turn around and plug the projection full of bullets.

Yet another reason to hate the so called "Catalyst." It had taken an almost sacred symbol to him, and turned it into the mascot of their doom. It may as well have been wearing Ashley or Thane's face. Jerk.

Just thinking insults was making him feel better, he was so human. Or at least that's what Tali would say. Tali…

How could he die, when he had just promised to build her a home, to build them a home? How could he leave her so soon? And there were others he couldn't stand the thought of leaving behind. There was so much he wanted to do and see… He suddenly felt so young. But he knew he had to decide.

Shepard took one shambling step towards his choice, but was interrupted by the Catalyst.

"You aren't supposed to be here." The synthetic child's voice warned.

Shepard turned, and coming out of the transport beam was Javik. The prothean walked with his head held high, straight to the Commander. Never acknowledging the AI. He looked as though he could have been on an afternoon stroll. In his haziness, Shepard almost laughed.

"You aren't the chosen one! You can't be here!" the Catalyst shouted, becoming frantic.

"Commander," Javik began, ignoring the AI, "What's the situation?"

"Well, we have three choices. We can destroy the reapers." Shepard nodded his head in the direction of the red tinted machinery.

"But it would kill the geth…and EDI." Shepard said warily.

He knew Javik's attitude towards synthetics. No matter how friendly or romantically involved with your friend they were. He could kill EDI without a second thought.

"Or we can combine with them." Shepard said, making a face, "I think it called it synthesis."

Shepard jerked a thumb towards the still shouting projection. It was amazing how well the two of them had managed to ignore the projection. If it were alive, it'd surely be foaming at the mouth. Maybe twitching.

Shepard chuckled at the thought.

"Then our choice is clear." Javik said, walking towards the left with purpose.

"Javik? What are you doing?" Shepard demanded, hobbling as fast as he could to catch up with the prothean.

Javik paused, his back still to the Commander. He glanced over his shoulder at the Commander.

"Shepard?" the two toned voice was incredibly welcome at any other time. But Shepard wanted Garrus, his best friend, as far away from this terrible place as possible.

Shepard hobbled to turn to face the turian and almost met the floor when he was attacked by something hooded and glowing.

"Keelah Shepard!" Tali growled, supporting him with her shoulder.

"Take the Commander back to the Normandy." Javik ordered the two of them.

"What're you planning Javik?" Shepard demanded.

The prothean smiled, "I told you once that I wanted to rejoin my crew. They might forgive me easier if it is done this way. After all, I am an embodiment of vengeance. This is my vengeance for them, and for everyone that has been lost."

The prothean turned his back to them.

"Javik…" Shepard began, only to have the prothean interrupt him.

"Go! Back to the Normandy, now!" Javik growled, walking briskly toward the two glowing handles.

Tali and Garrus heeded his orders, pulling Shepard along with them towards the transport beam.

When they were gone, Javik took a moment. He took a deep breath before scowling at the projection of the child.

"I've only just begun to trust machines, much less like them. You definitely aren't one of them." Javik snarled, finally silencing the AI.

He turned back to the handles that would end him. Would end everything. He thought of how close his people had come. How much further the humans, quarians, asari, turians, and salarians had yet to go. He took hold of the handles, and never let go.

* * *

As they exited the transport beam, safely back on earth, Shepard collapsed, slipping into a dark abyss.

* * *

Whispers and echoes surrounded him, disorienting him.

"…Shepard…" they called.

"Oh come on, Skipper. This is no time for a nap." A woman's voice whispered.

He tried to reach out, he knew that voice. It haunted him often, but something was different this time.

Ashley sounded as though she was right next to him. He tried to reach out once more, but he couldn't feel his limbs. He couldn't feel gravity. He couldn't feel anything. He tried to speak instead, but his throat was extremely raw.

"Shepard…someone else…may get it wrong…"it was a whisper, barely audible, but that was most certainly Mordin.

But he had lost both of them. Ashley on Virmire and Mordin on Tuchanka. Why were the dead speaking to him?

"Shepard, my prayers were not to be answered so soon…there's work to do…people who need you…" Thane's voice was quiet, much like it always was, but extremely strong.

Shepard tried to reach out again, but his body still wasn't cooperating.

"Shepard…" the whispers continued, was that Jenkins?

The female laugh, Miranda?

"Come on son…" Anderson said gently.

"Commander the point of a sacrifice is to let at least one of us live." Javik said with his usual dryness.

Shepard could have laughed, if he could move.

With the dead speaking to him, he realized just how many he'd lost.

"You're stronger than this…" The Illusive Man.

Why would he be cheering Shepard on, the one who had brought about his demise? He couldn't understand it…

"You are a Spectre…" a familiar turian voice whispered…Nihlus?

And then the whispers abated, it was silent.

"Shepard Commander." The strongest and clearest voice yet, one he knew so well, "It is unwise to leave Tali in this manner."

"Legion…" he finally was able to murmur.

Everything faded away, only to resurface in blinding light. Shepard squinted before blinking rapidly to adjust to the brightness. He could feel his body again, but it was extremely heavy, and it hurt like hell.

"Keelah." He heard the tired and relieved sigh to his left.

"Spirits." The tow toned growl to his right.

"I'm back." Shepard managed to croak.

"And you're a bosh'tet." Tali told him, a smile beneath her mask.

"A downright idiot." Garrus agreed.

"But you're alive and our idiot bosh'tet." Tali said.

"That I am." Shepard laughed, wincing slightly at what the movement did to his aching body.

"Do you think I'll finally get a statue?" Garrus mused aloud, causing the three of them to laugh.

The universe was far from being perfect, there was still a lot of work to be done in piecing the galaxy back together, but in that moment, Shepard's world was perfect.

* * *

After the war was finally over, cleanup efforts began across the galaxy. The main focus was on those planets hit hardest; Earth, Palaven, and Thessia especially. Even with the major devastation, a lot of celebrating went around. The parties were full of drunken songs, regrettable and downright embarrassing blackmail material, and Vega over exaggerating his involvement. Over the years, the list of what to fix dwindled until it was almost non-existent, that was the day that the war truly ended.

The council was expanded to include all of the major races, and a movement was started to even include the geth.

Vega quickly rose up in the ranks of N7 before becoming a Spectre. He and Kaidan still keep in touch and work hard as the representatives of the human race.

Oriana lives with her new husband on earth peacefully. The two are expecting their first child, a little girl. They like the name Miranda.

Jack still teaches Grissom Academy, happy to have found a second home, the Normandy being her first. She still keeps in touch with her first group of students, as every single one survived the war.

Kolyat continues to study with the priests and is currently funding a study of Kepral's Syndrome headed by Dr. Chakwas and Dr. Michel.

Samara and Falere successfully rebuilt the monastery, which has become a sanctuary full of peace.

Kasumi quickly disappeared after the war, surprisingly stealing none of the equipment used to build the Crucible. She sent Shepard a message explaining that it was simply too easy and would have insulted her talent.

Zaeed still lives as a mercenary, though he takes on frequently less missions. He loves to tell stories of his time aboard the Normandy, though he can never end them with his usual phrase, "and I was the only one that got out alive."

Liara continues her work in archeology, still researching prothean ruins. She has become one of the leading experts on protheans. She is assisted by a memory stone, courtesy of Javik.

Grunt continues to prove himself as a member of the Urdnot clan, though with less head-butts thanks to his prowess during the war. He has become Wrex's right hand.

Joker and EDI continue to serve the Alliance aboard the Normandy, working directly under Admiral Hackett. Together and happy.

A statue has been raised in Mordin's honor near the ruins of the Shroud, and Wrex's first son bears his name. Wrex and Bakara take their children to the sight often to remind them of what was sacrificed during the war. They proudly teach why Shepard means hero.

Garrus settled into helping Primarch Victus. The two became close over the years, and Garrus is very close in line to inheriting the position these days. A statue was raised in his honor; in honor the true force that stopped the Reapers, but he still made sure it was very close to the krogan memorial and a few inches taller. Sitting at the statue's base is a bronzed sniper rifle and a case of empty bottles.

After much uproar over his future, Shepard was finally made the human ambassador to Rannoch. He and Tali built their house together, though it did not turn out well at all. With help from the geth it was made grand. The two made sure that a memorial was raised for Legion in Rannoch's capitol. Garrus visits often due to his recent involvement with politics. Tali is almost free from her suit, thanks to the geth, as are many other quarians.

Aboard the Normandy still stands a simple remembrance wall with names carved into it. Ashley Williams, Thane Krios, Mordin Solus, Legion, Admiral Anderson, Miranda Lawson, Richard L. Jenkins, Legion, and finally... Javik.

* * *

**So if that was incredibly too cheesy or cliche, I apologize! But I think it makes it somewhat more bearable. And I think Shepard deserves a cliche happy ending! Hoped it made it a little more bearable for all the other dissapointed fans! **

**~Trapped in Wonderland  
**


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